“The Author, by a lucky accident, finds means to leave Blefuscu; and, after some difficulties, returns safe to his native country.”
A representative of Lilliput comes and demands that Gulliver be returned to that island bound as a prisoner. He refuses. Gulliver purchases several small animals, which he brings with him back to England. He earns a small fortune by showing off, and by eventually selling, the animals. Gulliver becomes bored back in England and decides to go on another voyage.
“This envoy had instructions to represent to the monarch of Blefuscu, ‘the great lenity of his master, who was content to punish me no farther than with the loss of mine eyes; that I had fled from justice; and if I did not return in two hours, I should be deprived of my title of NARDAC, and declared a traitor.’ The envoy further added, ‘that in order to maintain the peace and amity between both empires, his master expected that his brother of Blefuscu would give orders to have me sent back to Lilliput, bound hand and foot, to be punished as a traitor.’”
This passage is the final display of the sheer ridiculousness of Lilliputian politics. The absurdity of the fact that the Lilliputians would expect Gulliver to accept their punishment and deprive himself of freedom is an allusion to British politics, making the point that the king could not expect people to succumb to his will without a just rule of law.
Freedom is an important theme in the chapter. Gulliver regains his freedom in this chapter by escaping the unfair and unjust policies of the Lilliput-Blefuscu universe. Gulliver is willing to risk the danger of the high seas in a small vessel for his freedom, although his life hangs in the balance. Gulliver has no reason to forfeit his freedom for the allegiance of Lilliput, so he leaves the negative situation.
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